rig

A "rig" can mean a set of equipment arranged for a special job. You might hear about an oil rig at sea, a camera rig on a film set, or a lighting rig at a concert. The word also comes from sailing, where it refers to a ship's masts, sails, and ropes. As a verb, it often means to arrange something unfairly or dishonestly, such as rigging an election, a game, or a contest. The meaning usually becomes clear from the situation.

The word "rig" is quite flexible, and its older meaning comes from sailing. In that world, it refers to a ship's masts, sails, ropes, and related gear. In modern everyday English, it often means a set of equipment or a setup built for a particular task. This could be something large, like an oil rig used to drill for oil or gas, or something smaller, like a camera rig or lighting rig used in filming or live events.

However, "rig" also has a dishonest meaning. To rig an election means to change or control the process unfairly. To rig a game, contest, or result means to fix it so that one side has an unfair advantage. In this sense, the word suggests hidden control behind the scenes.

The word can also appear in other related ways. Someone might rig up a quick solution, meaning they put something together fast from the materials they have. You may also hear that a system is rigged against someone, meaning it seems unfair and designed to stop them from succeeding. So depending on the context, "rig" can describe useful equipment, the sail setup of a ship, or an unfair act of manipulation.